Bonjour,
I'm not a fan of unboxing, but there's something very interesting about the box: it's smaller and lighter than the K10D's.
1- Unboxing and hands-on
Eventually, the K-7 proves to be smaller and lighter than the K10D.
Nothing special about the content, except the
big user manual close to 360 pages. I highly recommend to read it carefully and to keep it at hand.
Contrary to the K20D which was a copycat of the K10D body, the K-7 has changed everything.
The
grip is larger with a special curve for the middle finger, which improves comfort and stability. But the grip is also shorter, and my little finger is going
under the camera. Should I consider the BG4 grip to get rid of that
The
hardware buttons are more numerous and have all changed. I was really surprised to feel at home after playing with the K-7 for half an hour. Ergonomics are one of Pentax strong points.
Gone is the 4-ways combo button. It is replaced by 4 single buttons, each one providing a short-cut to timer, color tone, flash and white balance plus a central OK button. Gone also the shake reduction button, but the solution provided is fine. Live view has its dedicated button but I haven't tested this feature yet.
Green button is there, as well as a new, dedicated ISO button. Everything fits right under the fingers and I feel at home quite instantly.
As for the K10D and the *ist DL, the K-7 could be used as if it were a film camera. All the main functions are adressed by hardware buttons and the
LCD on the top of the camera provides the feed-back, with speed, aperture, ISO, compensation and more. So there's no need to use the
big color LCD. The
dial mode sports a security know and offers the very nice Sv (sensibility) and TAv (speed and aperture) modes, with the
front and rear dials to select the right value.
No special comments on the SD card compartment, the connection door except for the
battery door whose latch is bigger and thus easier to open and close. Everything is sealed and should be water and dust resistant: I say '
should' but I know it '
is' after having experienced a rain while shooting with my former K10D with
The Test I Never Wanted To Perform - Today I Had To.
Most noticeable is the
view-finder. K10D's one was excellent thank to a pentaprism, but K-7s one is even better: 100% coverage, crisp and clear and a nice reminder of the main parameters below the image.
Obviously, such a camera deserves but the best
lenses. Consider the DA Star: high range, with SDM focus system, weather-resistant and dust-resistant, and fixed aperture for zoom (great quality). SDM stands for Supersonic Direct-drive Motor, a built-in motor, which brings faster and quieter focusing. I haven't tried the new Pentax WR sub-range on the DA family, WR as Water Resistant, since I use three DA star lenses:
A final mention of the
strap, still with huge
Pentax logos, but with triangular rings and protective covers.
I was surprise by how long the
battery took for charging, but the manual says up to 6 1/2 hours may be required.
With a DA star 16-50mm, the K-7 feels compact and light, not as bulky as other dSLRs
, and well balanced on the hands.
What a text
. I think it's enough for a first hands-on
. Now, let's take some pictures
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
...
.
